


Paper Trail

by reeby10



Category: The Hidden Almanac (Podcast)
Genre: Books, Documentation, Gen, Inappropriate crushes, Love Notes, Mentions of other characters - Freeform, Pastor Drom's oddly specific self help books, menus, weird food
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-21 17:32:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17047535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reeby10/pseuds/reeby10
Summary: A collection of different papers and books found in the studio.





	Paper Trail

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vass/gifts).



> **ETA:** Made some minor changes 4/18/19.

**i.**

Mord was very glad to be back in his studio after being away so long. Much longer than it had seemed at the time, but that was the way it was sometimes. Especially in libraries.

But being away from the studio and the garden also meant a lot of things had piled up even with the help of the interns. Intern Steve had been good enough to put the mail on Mord’s desk, as well as all the other miscellaneous papers in a community radio station that appeared and disappeared and were sometimes actually important to read.

The advanced reader copy for Drom’s latest book was on the top of the pile to the right. In bright red letters, the cover read “Post-Library Life and You: Surviving the Trauma of Being Lost in the Stacks with the Power of Happiness by Pastor Drom.”

He stared for a long moment before setting it back down with a sigh. How in the world had Drom had time to write the book since they got back a few hours ago, much less got copies printed and one sent to him? Actually, he thought he’d rather not know. It probably had something to do with Drom’s miracle work.

He picked the book back up and flipped it to the back. Drom was beaming from a picture in the lower left corner, decked out in her favorite rainbow scarf. His eyes drifted to the summary at the top and he almost dropped the book.

 

_Have you ever gotten lost in the library. Really lost? Lost for days and days with no one but your grumpy friend who may or may not be a bunch of scarab beetles in a mask for company? Of course you have!_

_And after being lost like that, you have a lot of trauma to deal with. Well, Pastor Drom, renowned author of such best selling volumes as HOW TO MAKE YOUR LIFE A MIRACLE and WRITING EROTICA TO PAY THE BILLS is here to help! With Pastor Drom’s patented Seven Steps To Happiness, you too can find fight off the trauma left by being lost in the library. The power of happiness is within you!_

 

She really was quite ridiculous. Mord didn’t know how so many people flocked to every new book she put out on such incredibly specific and odd topics. That was probably something to do with miracles too.

He, however, would not be reading this one. Not that he read any of them, though he wasn’t entirely sure Drom knew that. He added it to the shelf next to his desk where the others she’d sent him sat. One of the interns would probably pick it out later.

***

**ii.**

There was a new menu from Dave's Delicious Delicacies on Mord’s desk when he got up in the morning. Intern Mary had probably left it there for him since the interns had gone into town for dinner the night before. It was one of Mord's favorite restaurants to order from, though none of the interns could be convinced to order with him for some reason. Probably it wasn't quite hip enough for them, but he was glad Intern Mary had thought to get him a new menu.

He perused the menu with interest, eyes catching on two new dishes: Giant Snail Tartare with Wild Basil Pesto and Roasted Skipper Butterfly Larvae on a Bed of Saltgrass. There were full color pictures of both new dishes.

Well, well, that sounded simply delicious. Dave’s Delicious Delicacies was really getting into the more interesting cuisines, which was what Mord had hoped they’d do. It was all well and good to serve Slug Gumbo, one of the local delicacies and a common order of Mord’s, but this was much more exciting.

Yes, Mord knew exactly what he was having for lunch.

***

**iii.**

There was a love note taped to the door to Mord’s quarters. He saw it when he got up in the morning to go make his first mug of needlewort tea for the day. It was hard to avoid seeing it since the paper was the most eye searing shade of pink Mord had ever seen.

He pulled the paper down and unfolded it, already dreading what he’d find inside.

 

_Dearest Reverend Mord,_

_I know you’d say this is ridiculous, but I can’t hold it inside any longer! I’m in love with you! I have been ever since I came to the Test Garden, and my love has only grown with time. Your mask is so… intriguing. Your voice is so… alluring. I listen to the radio show every day and wish I could be there in the studio with you. Perhaps one day I will be, instead of working out in the garden, my heart bursting with love for you._

_All my love,  
Your Intern_

 

It wasn’t the first love note an intern had left for him and probably wouldn’t be the last, though he certainly wished it was. He rather thought the interns should be above such things as incredibly inappropriate crushes.

Well, he supposed, at least none of them had a crush on Drom. That would be truly horrifying. For all of them.

***

**iv.**

There was a brown paper package in the mail when Intern Steve checked it after his afternoon round of weeding in the garden. He brought it in to Mord before leaving for the day.

Mord took it with a little confusion. He didn’t remember ordering anything recently, but when he saw the return address for the Interlibrary Loan, he knew why. They were always late on deliveries.

He unwrapped the brown paper packaging to reveal a rather large book, old and a bit dusty, with what he thought might be goatskin binding. He hoped, at least, that it was goatskin. A note was taped to the front that read in sharp cursive writing:

 

_Reverend Mord,_

_Here is the book you requested from Interlibrary Loan. It is due two weeks from the date you receive it. If you would like to request a renewal, please contact us in person or in writing at our office, the address of which can be found on the other side of this note. We are open between the hours of 10:30 am and 1:30 pm on Tuesdays and every other Thursday, except for a break for lunch from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm._

_Best,  
Interlibrary Loan Staff_

 

Mord sighed. This was the book on the Librarian Prince that he'd requested — he checked his calendar — over nine months ago. It had finally arrived almost two months after he and Drom had returned from the Librarian Prince's tomb.

They always did have the most... interesting timing.


End file.
